As you all know, on 31 August and 1 September the two Il Volo television concerts were held in Agrigento and will be broadcast, the first at Christmas on Canale 5 and the second broadcast by the PBS television network.
As I had already announced to you, a friend had sent the request to participate via fan club and obtained the confirmation letter, so she left Canada for Sicily.
Thus began Judith’s journey (not without problems), and when I asked her to write her impressions of the two evening and this was her response:
“I’ll do my best to take some photos and make notes on anything that might interest you. I tend to get lost in my own musical world, but at least one is a show in English. I’ll be able to understand.”
“I take a flight from Chicago to Munich and then to Palermo, then a train or car as close as possible to my hotel in San Leone (near Agrigento) and then I try to get to the concerts. I have a friend who will take me to the concerts from my hotel.”
Already on the plane Judith wrote me beautiful words that are the story of many of us, words that come from the heart and that you absolutely must read. ❤️
“I have no idea what time it is. Outside the plane window it is dark and inside most are asleep and the lights are low. Thinking about it, it’s incredible what some of us, actually many of us, do for an Il Volo concert or to support what we have come to know and love in these few years of Il Volo. Many of us fly all night through strange airports and cities, strange towns and train stations, strange streets and trust strange taxi drivers to take us to strange hotels, whose language we don’t speak, all to enjoy those two hours of music, fun, passion and friends. Some can afford it and some can’t, but those moments of joy listening to the voices of the “kids” make us dream listening to their beautiful voices that take us elsewhere, somewhere deep in our hearts and dreams. My eyes are closed, lost in those moments of beauty. For me, all the frustrations and uncertainty of unknown long-distance destinations absolutely fill my heart when the lights go down, the music starts and Gianluca, Piero and Ignazio take the stage!”
It wasn’t easy for Judith, who arrived in San Leone (a hamlet of Agrigento on the sea) in the evening, in the dark and immediately realized that her accommodation was far from everything, not only from the Valley of the Temples where the concerts were held, but also from the beautiful walk by the sea of San Leone, and from all the shops and restaurants and she hadn’t eaten anything yet and the hunger was making itself felt.
After eating a couple of Sicilian cannoli which Judith found really good, she managed to sleep at night and wait for the first concert on August 31st, the Christmas-themed one which will be broadcast by Canale 5 at Christmas.
“Judith with her friends, ready for the concert, so much elegance.”
August 31st Christmas concert for Canale 5
Last night was very strange. It was a difficult location, but the stage was set up beautifully. What a fantastic location. I can’t tell you much about the show, we and the fan club group were sitting on the far right. Where we couldn’t see the stage, we couldn’t see the orchestra. All were tall, built on a high platform, here are a couple of photos so you can understand better.
There were guards patrolling everywhere to make sure we didn’t take out our cell phones or cameras, and they were diligent every time I took out my phone to take a photo.
The people in the fan clubs weren’t sitting in a good position and the stage sets were built so high with the barrier around it and from where we were sitting, there wasn’t a good view of the whole thing.
We couldn’t see the orchestra or the two big Christmas trees.
A very confusing night for everyone, there weren’t many people, maybe 800. I don’t know and since there was such a small entrance when they finally opened the small door to let us in (it was closed until 7:45 and it was very hot), for getting 800 people in took a long time. To get to the stage the road was really narrow. There was a shuttle that you could pay for to travel a little distance, if you wore high heels you were straight away in trouble. The road (plus a wide path) was made up of rocks of all sizes, nothing asphalted and it was very, very difficult and, of course, holding each other’s arms to be able to walk, and, after a long walk up the hill, when we arrived, there were so many barriers of cameras and lighting crews that it was not possible to see a lot around. We managed to move in the rows more up, but from the photos you can see that we were under the stage and under everyone. But we were in the corner of the stage where the boys were performing, thank goodness!
The boys weren’t wearing Christmas clothes, they were dressed in dark suits, perhaps black, with some sequins on the jackets, very elegant. No one person had winter clothes, there was a lot of elegance, but no winter clothes, one lady had a fur hat. There were two large trees, as you can see from the photos, and may have had other decorations too, but we couldn’t see them. And it was a Christmas show in theory it was filmed outdoors. It was an interesting location for the Christmas show because you could see it was a hot, warm night and the wind was blowing, but people were still in sleeves and how they would rig that Christmas show is beyond me, some people still wore sleeveless t-shirts and tops.
The concert started on time and the guys, as always, were at the top. They were professional as always, they were friendly, they communicated, they told jokes, they sang their songs better than anyone ever could. Of course the songs were mostly Christmas themed. The orchestra was good, the little known songs were great and the first half or more of the show was very good. There were a lot of standing ovations, a lot of applause and a lot of appreciation for their music.
At a certain point between one song and another there began to be huge gaps and the boys were waiting, walking back and forth, then Ignazio said something that I didn’t understand, and he went to the back of the stage, Gianluca told him I went behind to talk to him. Finally they returned to the front and said to the master: Master, as if we were ready, let’s go.
Everything after that was calmer, the music was wonderful as always.
Come to think of it, some of these gaps in the music may have been due to the TV show’s film crew blocking everything.
I learned a little lesson and I don’t think I’ll ever go to a TV-produced concert again. Too many things can go wrong and it’s not about the music. It’s about the show. I think Morricone’s concert in Verona was the best production I have ever seen. It was very well produced, organized, very well planned, excellent music, singing dancers, everything. It was the best on every level.
The guys were fantastic and their voices were exceptional: Gianluca singing “Music of the Night” was a spectacle!
I think as I watch Gianluca more and more, he’s a passionate old soul. He is so kind he is so empathetic and supportive. I actually watched him a lot last night because I could only see them and nothing else in the corner of the stage, and he constantly watches Piero and Ignazio for their reactions when things aren’t going well, he seems to protect them and care about their mood. He supports them.
I remember that at the beginning of the meeting and greetings with them, Gianluca held my hand because I was nervous and he smiled. He listens, watches and cares deeply. I know that every time I approach him in the meet and greet he looks me in the eyes calmly as if he sees me and he does this with everyone. He’s a good man. ❤️
September 1 concert for PBS
I’m sorry for my limited photos, but both PBS and the Italian TV crew were relentless and aggressive in preventing us from filming. I’m sorry I couldn’t capture more.
I wanted to tell you that I think tonight’s concert was fantastic, exceptional. For me there wasn’t enough English, only when filming the PBS parts. However, their voices, their arrangements, their passion, the delivery and their energy were amazing.
Ignazio sang “Memories”, the favorite representation of his vocal range, and everyone seemed to enjoy it.
Gianluca showed his, again a powerful, rich voice, singing “Music of the Night” from Phantom of the Opera, as well as an Elvis Presley favorite that I can’t remember right now.
I would like to have the titles of the songs or their program to help you understand better, but I don’t have this information, sorry.
In truth, the musical choices were a combination of a little bit of pop, but a little bit of opera, a little bit of their Belcanto. In every song they sang, they gave everything. For the Italian press to belittle them is simply unfathomable. They did an English version of their latest song and I’d say overall the night was … unlike the highly organised, highly successful and musically stunning first night. They also introduced new songs that I had never heard before, but they were very positive and definitely a crowd pleaser. I definitely want to listen to the new songs again, definitely! 🥰
Piero Ignazio and Gianluca wore dark suits, but the jackets had no glitter.
People were still elegant but with more colors and less formal and women had abandoned their heels, given the early evening. 😣 The Christmas trees and Christmas decorations were obviously no longer there. 😉
The concert started on time and the energy and anticipation was palpable throughout the audience. Once again the songs were a mix of bel canto, pop opera and classical, with songs from their previous concerts.
However, the introduction of the new songs was electric. Their choices were exceptional and for many moments during the show there was not a cough or a sound except for each magnificent voice that filled the sky and the stars. That night was magical. After every song the audience went crazy, but no one got up and I don’t know why. During the concert, the songs were projected onto a screen at the end of each row of seats and during some English-language presentations for PBS, the words were written on the screen (like the teleprompter).
A funny moment, Gianluca was reading the script on screen for the PBS audience and came across an English word that he couldn’t pronounce. He kept trying to say it.
The word was “transcend.” Nobody helped him and in the end I shouted the word and Gianluca repeated it correctly.
After I gave Gianluca the correct pronunciation, Piero shouted: “Who are you?”
Ignazio said: “But it’s her!” (he didn’t remember my name).
Piero replied: “But who are you? I can’t see anything with this light.”
Ignazio: “Canada” (they know me as the redhead from Canada), and my friend shouted: “Giuditta!”
The kids recognized me because the lights were now on me!!
It was a very fun time.
Another strange thing, later, towards the end of the show, one of the PBS film crew members came to my row and seemed to be pointing the camera at me and recording, I don’t know why. That remains to be seen, I guess. Maybe I’ll be at the cinema soon!
The first evening I had two women next to me, two women from Sweden, the second evening two women from Japan.
When the three guys weren’t announcing their songs or speaking to the PBS audience, they were constantly interacting with the audience, in Italian, of course, which was great. There was a lot of laughter, a lot of applause, a lot of feeling part of the Il Volo family.
All three boys were kind and playful that night, and it was one of their best concerts. It didn’t last long. The concert ended at 11.00 pm, it surprised me.
Just when we thought it was all over, the boys came back on stage and sang Masterpiece in English, a first for me and their fans!!! ❤️
The staff let us out around 11, although it wasn’t over for PBS or the film crew who may have had to repeat some songs because they called back the guys and the orchestra that remained after we all left.
Thank you, Judith, for the nice review of your participation in the two concerts. You were very thorough and your photos are beautiful, considering that you were certainly not in a good position and that the security was inflexible.
I’ve been to the Valley of the Temples and reading your words made me feel like I was there with you.
The setting was certainly unique and fantastic and I hope that the television representation lives up to this Christmas event.
I also think that the crews were different for the two events and perhaps for this reason the second concert went better. We will see the final results on TV.
Thanks again for your writing, Judith!!🥰
Now you of Flight Crew must know that these two concerts had a lot of problems from the usual Italian press. Many articles have reported misrepresented or exaggerated news, but I will talk about this in detail in the next post.🤬
Meanwhile, I conclude this nice review with some beautiful photos taken by some people present at the concerts.
This is the distance between Copenhagen, Denmark, and Verona, Italy. One day my husband said: “Why don’t we take the car and drive instead of flying? Use the opportunity to convert a concert tour into a holiday?” Yes, why not? That’s how we ended up driving some 3500 kilometers through no less than 5 countries (Denmark, Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland + a ferry crossing) taking in the sights of some of Europe’s most beautiful mountain and lake districts – just in order to participate in one of this year’s out-of-the-ordinary “Tutti per Uno”,Canale 5 Verona concerts with IL VOLO. Namely, on May the 11th. Not at all a bad idea though, I can report. 😊
And what can I say? Being my second time at this event – hence well acquainted with the special concept of these concerts coupled with the most beautiful weather – the concert fulfilled all my expectations and hopes and became yet a fantastic IL VOLO experience in all aspects. This year I did, however, arrive fully prepared bringing along a full length woolen winter-coat, several sweaters, boots, a tiny umbrella and – for the purpose only purchased huge backpacker rain-cover! Only to find Verona bathed in sunshine with some 26 C (79 F) day temperature and not a cloud in the sky! A bit of a laughing stock maybe but rather that than once again being unexpectedly caught in heavy rains for more than four hrs.
IL VOLO brings the world together.
My husband and I had arranged to meet up with Daniela (our Daniela) and her husband for a bite to eat before the concert – unfortunately, family matters and unexpected troubles in finding a suitable parking space altered the plans in the last minute. However, meeting up with fellow fans has become a vital and fun part of participating in these concerts, hence after a quick feast at one of the many touristic restaurants offering breathtaking views of the Arena di Verona as a backdrop, my husband and I rushed into this unique venue well before concert start enabling us to spend time greeting, selfie-taking and mingling a bit with fans acquaintances from all over the world. Among others we met for the first time Martina Gerlach-Buntz from Germany and her friend Isolde as well as had a pleasant reunion with Jolanta Szczepanik from Poland and her friend Mariola that I had the pleasure of spending some extra time with last year. Luckily, at the very last minute Daniela and her husband made it to the Arena and it was time for big re-union hugs and kisses. Catching up would have to wait to the next day where we agreed on doing an outing together.
Beppe, Danela and Kirsten, Steen
Isolde, Germay – Kirsten – Martina, Germany and Jolanta, Poland. + Kirsten – Mariola and Jolanta, Poland
Just being inside Arena di Verona is a fantastic experience in itself. This more than 2,000 year old architectural pearl brings you in awe… And huge it is. Several times during the evening I took myself in letting the eyes wander around this unique setting pinching my arm. Especially when it gets dark it becomes truly amazing. Sitting in the warm spring night with a pitch black starlit sky above watching the moon move while listening to the voices of IL VOLO – nothing really compares – and I wish that you all may have such an opportunity once in your lives. We had been extremely lucky managing to obtain first row seats on the floor this time – and albeit situated far to the left it appeared actually to be a rather good choice. The reason being that the very wide stage is built out with little extension platforms in each corner frequently used by the guys bringing them up-close-and-almost-personal to you at times. Further, the big projection screens are likewise placed here. Of course a center seat is always great, but one has to realize that from there you will always have to gaze across the orchestra pit which, however, at IL VOLO concerts is never used, but still leaving a considerable gap between the first row and the stage. On top this evening we had a further benefit by these seats as it appeared that several of the IL VOLO team and family members were actually seated just next to the platform giving us glimpses of i.e. Michel Torpedine, Gianluca’s father and brother as well a Ignazio’s pretty fiancée Michelle and hence all the activity that surprisingly took place in this corner during the show. Later we learned that Piero’s singing coach was also to be found in this area.
And then it all began.
At 21:00 hrs. sharp the orchestra started up with strophes from the well-known “Also sprach Zarathustra” by Strauss – and shortly after Piero, Ignazio and Gianluca entered the stage from the center stairs and a roar arose in the Arena.
Finally, here they were – probably just as excited as the some 15,000 people in the audience – and immediately starting out singing the pompous score from the film “The Gladiators” setting us all in the right mood right away as well as proving that indeed they do still master, love and perform songs of the more classical genre. I have never heard them sing this song before, but it was strong, voluminous and perfect for the opening of a grand evening. Bravo! A few more songs from their well-known repertoire followed before the guys greeted the audience and Canale 5 viewers – and the show was on the go.
Following the Sanremo performances I had wondered a bit as to how they would present themselves in respect to appearance now having moved towards a somewhat younger music genre – but I could immediately relax as in front of us we had three guys all modestly dressed in black tuxes from top-to-toe and looking their very normal handsome selves. No fancy haute couture outfits or odd hair styles… just a slight indication of their individual personalities hence with Piero in a very elegant and well fit tux with a string of black sequins on the lapels topped with a black flower. Ignazio wore a very classic tux with no frills while Gianluca sported a bolero-like short jacket over a transparent black tee and some sparkling sequin clad boots. They looked stunning! Being a huge Canale 5 production no corners had been cut – and on the stage we found a 54-piece symphony orchestra and some 40-persons ditto choir – all under the direction of the great maestro Marcello Rota. I wondered what had happened to Gianpiero Grani though – I didn’t spot him anywhere? The stage was colorfully lit up and decorated in bright yellow and red while all performances were accompanied by either video shows matching the themes or blinking light shows – all fine and suitable for a grandiose show without taking the focus too much from the guys. Luckily, we were spared half-naked ballet dancers splashing in pools… – you know what I mean. Personally, I prefer as simple a stage setting and lightshow as possible in order to fully enjoy the guys and their facials and antics while performing, but I do understand that for a TV show of this caliber you need that something extra.
The score from “The Gladiatores”
“Grande Amore”, the start
“Grande Amore”, continued
“La Vita”
Guest stars – a win-win situation.
At these shows no programs are available hence making it quite difficult for at least foreigners to figure out who the guest singers were as well as the names of the songs performed. As Daniela was seated a few rows behind me and I didn’t take notes, I had no-one near to ask and hence cannot fill you in on this. However, by now you have all probably watched and read so much about these shows that you have been able to acquaint yourselves with same to a certain degree. As a foreigner – and not the least not speaking nor understanding any Italian at all – I must likewise confess that the guest performances were those of least interest to me personally. That being said no doubt that the locals in the audience were more than happy to see and re-hear very beloved Italian artists and being able to sing along on the popular tunes from bygone days. Two Italian ladies seated next to me were indeed almost in ecstasy at times and stood up constantly swinging and swaying and apparently knowing each and every lyric. Therefore, it shall neither be forgotten that these TV shows are made for an Italian audience and hence it is only to be anticipated that foreigners shall not be enjoying the guest performances and skits in the same way. Personally, only two names were known to me, namely Gianna Nanini and Irama – both guest stars from last year’s shows and hence recognizable (last year they were total strangers to me as well). No bells rang in connection with anyone else. I couldn’t avoid paying attention to especially Gianna Nanini though as not only was she the first guest star of the evening, but she was likewise granted a rather long stage time as first she sang a duet with each of the guys, then one together with all three only to return later in the show to have a solo entirely on her own. I must confess that her voice is not exactly my cup of tea nor her genre, but I have learned that she has been backing and standing up for the guys from their early days and hence is a very good personal friend. Therefore maybe a form of gratitude and thank you?
Surprisingly Irama was, however, only few minutes on stage joining the guys in “Saturno e Venere” from their joined venture on the guys’ newest “Ad Astra” album. They seemed to enjoy the company of each other very much. Of the other guest stars I paid special attention to the classic soprano Nina Solodovnikova who duetted with Piero in the aria “Libiom de Lieti Calici”. It is always a pleasure to watch Piero sing with a pro opera singer – no difference this time. And it is so sweet when he attempts a few dance steps with them. Piero’s smile was, however, even broader following a presentation of “Non Piangere Liu” from Turandot by Puccini together with five pro opera singers. No doubt he enjoyed this performance thoroughly himself as he couldn’t avoid showing his happiness following the very last strophe loosening his otherwise very concentrated face up into a giant wall-to-wall smile. Actor Beppe Fionello was likewise totally unknown to me and I didn’t understand a word of his speech delivered from the far end of the Arena apart from the word “Morricone”. This lead, however, to the guys entering the audience to the tune of “Here’s to You” and a very sweet moment in which both Piero and Gianluca found their moms and gave them a loving hug and kiss. This is so special for IL VOLO – I don’t believe I have ever experienced any other artists unfolding such a love and affection in front of a live audience – it is truly sweet and goes right to heart. Following Beppe joined the guys on stage and continued his long speech. He caught my attention at the end though when apparently he was asking the guys to present themselves à la James Bond (007). It was hilarious and I loved their little performances – Gianluca standing out with a very sexy voice followed by a smog blink and smile. Later I have learned that Beppe was speaking of films and recited numerous legendary film quotes. As said, none of the other guest artists caught my particular attention hence I am not going to review these further. This leads me, however, to emphasize the fact that the guest concept does indeed work very well for foreigners as well and should be regarded as a “value added bonus”. Not only does it let us experience the guys in new genres and unexpected connections while at the same time we get a full normal IL VOLO concert due to the extended duration of the show from 2 to 3½ hrs. Hence it is a true “win-win situation” for everyone!
“Volare”, Ignazio leads
“Volare”, Gianluca leads
“Volare” – the audience
The red thread.
To link the show together was popular TV-hostess Frederica Panicucci from Canale 5, who was the hostess of the two shows last year but, apparently, this year only present on our night. To put emphasis on the timeline for various tunes to follow she brought various props on stage such as an outdated tape cassette player, an old-fashioned transportable CD-player and not the least a huge jukebox. Among others she used the jukebox to introduce the ever so popular Bel Canto song “Volare”. Being a lady of years it was a bit strange to realize that our three guys were far from born or in mind when my friends and I spent our evenings at the local Milkbar listening to the jukebox as the most natural thing – still I loved Ignazio’s comment that the jukebox was bygone days “Spotify-box”. That guy has humor. 😊
Tutti per uno – or is it Uno per tutti?
Apart from all the guest performances the guys did likewise present a long row of solos. Gianluca pampered us among others with an energetic version of the Elton John legendary tune “Rocket Man”, which he took to the audience, as well as the Beatles’ song “Eleanor Rigby” – a rather unusual choice with sad lyrics about loneliness but yet probably rather meaningful to especially Gianluca who embraces the more philosophical and dramatic universes. Ignazio was performing several to me unknown tunes but I enjoyed among others “La Notte” – by the Italian-Belgian singer/songwriter Salvatore Adamo – and not the least the good old Stevie Wonder tune “Higher Ground” that had me almost get up dancing with its groovy rhythm. I don’t recall any of Piero’s solos in particular as I found his duets with the invited opera guest singers of more interest – but no doubt he is now a master of this genre on an equal level and, once again, I found him as “the winner takes it all” when it comes to standing ovations. He was massively applauded each time he was singing his classical repertoire – alone or in duets.
“Rocketman”, Gianluca solo
“I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing”, Ignazio solo
“Eleanor Rigby”, Gianluca solo
Emotions.
The evening was also filled with many emotional moments… At a certain point Ignazio brought out a piece of paper and read out loud a letter he had written to his beloved deceased father. It was difficult to keep the tears back learning the content. He is so obviously still hurt and missing his dad immensely and oh boy, to bring that forth and share his vulnerability with the audience – and the entire world – shows a very courageous young man. He is to be commended. During the entire evening I did likewise witness from my choice seat that each and every one of the guys took time to sneak over to their families and friends in the corner for a hug or quick chat. I would have thought that any spare minute off stage would have been used to catch the breath or a drink of water before re-entering but apparently not IL VOLO. First I noticed Ignazio sprint up to his girlfriend to embrace and kiss her and sit next to her holding hands. Next was Piero, who apparently had invited his singing coach and with whom he sat down for a bit seriously chatting. Gianluca passed by twice to say hello to his father and not the least give his brother a huge hug and sit next to him for a bit. What can I say… these guys are awesome. I have debated forth and back with myself whether or not to mention the most emotional moment of the evening though as it was so personal… but yes, I have to share with you when I spotted Gianluca in tears on stage. It all happened right in front of us when he was setting course towards the stage extension by our seats singing “Capolavoro”. He was urging the audience to sing along when suddenly he stopped, closed his eyes and lowered his head… what was happening? First I thought he was about to fall ill or something, but then I detected him licking salty tears off his lips… OMG. Then I realized that obviously he had been overwhelmed by all the love and affection sent to him and his colleagues from the huge audience not being able to hold back his emotions. I believe it being happy tears. He got hold of himself in split seconds and continued singing through the tears – and shortly afterwards he returned to the front with a forceful jump and a smile once again urging the audience to sing along. The moment touched me strongly though and went straight to heart. I wanted to rush to the stage and hug him. I shall never forget this as it so clearly shows us that we are not just watching three robots on stage but rather three human beings of flesh and blood with genuine feelings and emotions – just like the rest of us. And as for Gianluca I can only applaud him for the courage to be himself on stage as well – sharing his sensitivity with his fans – what a fine young man!
Gianluca getting emotional, start
Gilanluca emotional, end
And then it was all over.
Everything good comes to an end – also IL VOLO concerts. Hence with one of the new “Ad Astra” tunes: “Framenti di Universo” – accompanied by big canon salutes of white confetti – the evening was concluded in an appropriate and festive manner. Left for the guys was only to bid everyone goodnight, and with their signature stage departure signal: “1-2-3 and a little jump by Ignazio” out and away they were. I must admit that I miss the Danish custom of bringing the artists back to stage one or several times by means of clapping, stamping and long standing ovations generally leading to one or more extra songs. It felt a bit “empty” just in one split second to go from flying high on their music to total silence, bright lights and everyone leaving the site. I would have appreciated to show them my appreciation and love in a more concrete way, but evidently this is not the way it is done here. Daniela and I did, however, have yet a very nice little extra experience as before leaving the Arena we succeeded in shaking hands and share a few words with Ercole Ginoble, Gianluca’s father. It was indeed great meeting him face to face in real life and not just on Facebook. Albeit way past midnight the night was still warm and inviting with the town square full of people and activities, so having waved goodbye to Daniela and her husband we gathered with other fans at one of the lively cafes for a nightcap to slowly land on our feet again and realize that our IL VOLO concert was in past tense now. A most anticipated event and a lovely evening had come to an end.
Gianluca waving good-bye
All 3 saying goodnight and out
I hope you have enjoyed following in my footsteps and send my warmest greetings. Love, Kirsten.
PS: All photos and videos are shot by me and my husband and hence are our private ones except the photo with Daniela her husband, me and my husband (from Daniela) and the one of me, Mariola and Jolanta (from Jolanta).
In 2009, a Musical Journey began! The American music industry opened its door to three teenage boys who were the first Italian artists in history to sign a contract directly with a major American music label.
Their music was Operatic pop or popera. What was this new movement? It’s singing Opera in a more classical style. While opera is very strict and regimented, popera is more ethereal it has a lighter feeling and it moves freely. It takes away the hard edges of opera and replaces it with a more ethereal feel while still presenting the drama and the high notes of the opera.
This along with the classical Neapolitan songs became a big draw. Why did it work? One reason is three amazing voices! If the voice wasn’t there, the song wasn’t going to sell.
When I’m writing these pieces, I do a lot of research and I watch a lot of videos. And this is what I found. I looked at videos of the promos the boys did, for their albums. They were 16 – 17 years old and I found many teenagers at these promos. I saw teenage girls and boys singing opera and Italian songs. They liked it because the music is easy and catchy and, they picked it up very easily. And I might add, the guys are very attractive and likeable. The young girls love them not because they are very handsome but because they can relate to them. They were 16 – 17 years old and they were telling these young kids we love this music and you can too. And they did and still do! Once the kids were sold the parents followed.
Who wouldn’t want their kids singing this music? In turn the parents found it just as pleasing. As to the grandmothers they were the ones who were fainting over these attractive young men.
In 2010, they joined Quincy Jones’ “We are The World for Haiti”charity event. They performed alongside 80 other international artist including Celine Dion, Bono, Lady Gaga, Barbra Streisand, Usher, Natalie Cole, and more. They were unknown to the group and all were amazed at their voices and anxious to know who these three young men were. It didn’t take long for them to find out.
In May 2010 their first album Il Volo was released.
Their first album is self-titledIl Volo. It received platinum certification in Italy and the Spanish edition of the album received a nomination for Best Pop Album by a Duo or Group with Vocals at the 12th Annual Latin Grammy Awards in 2011.The album also debuted at number 1 on theUS Top Classical Albums Chart.
And so the awards begin!
In April 2013 they release a Spanish version of We Are Love, titledMás Que Amor,which includes a duet with Mexican singerBelinda.The album débuted at number 1 on the Billboard Latin Pop Albums. Más Que Amor was certified “Gold”in Mexico and Argentina. And this catapulted them into the Latin market. From that day on they took the Latin market by storm. This is unheard of! Three Italian kids taking over the Latin market!
In February 2014, they receive two nominations at the2014 Latin Billboard Music Awards,as“Top Latin Albums Artist of the Year, Duo or Group”and “Latin Pop Albums Artist of the Year, Duo or Group.”At the awards show they were awarded as“Best Group of the Year in the Latin Pop Album”category and they won “El Pulso Social Award,”as the artist who dominated interactions on social networking sites during the Billboard Awards.
On February 14, 2015, they won the Sanremo Music Festival 2015with“Grande Amore”winning 39.05% of the total vote over the 2 leading challengers. This win gave them the opportunity to represent Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest 2015.As Italy is a member of the Big Five, the group went straight into the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest,which was held in Vienna on May 23, 2015. Grande Amorecame in 3rd with 292 points but, they won the televote with 366 points and won theMarcel Bezencon Press Award,as best song according to the collective voting of the accredited press. The extended play Sanremo Grande Amorewas released in Italy on February 20, 2015 and it was certified triple platinum by FIMI.At theLatin Billboard Awards,they dominated the social networking sites and now, they win the televote and the best song according to collective voting by the accredited press. The people speak!
This is just to mention a few of their achievements. There are so many more achievements but, they are too numerous to mention. And, let’s not forget they sang with entertainers like Placido Domingo, Eros Ramazzotti, and Belinda.
In 2012, Barbara Streisandinvited them to join her“Back to Brooklyn Tour,” which included 12 performances in the United States and Canada.
The albums keep coming!The success keeps coming, the tours in North and South America keep selling out and the boys have grown into fine attractive young men. And, now they’re ready for a new experience. The music evolves and they are ready to crossover. In 2018 they release one of the most exciting Latin albums to come out in years. I would go so far as to sayAmameis the most exciting Latin album that was ever produced. It’s opera, it’s rock, it’s classical, it’s pop and it never stops giving. The rhythm in songs likeNoche Sin Dia is amazing. You have to move with the music. You can’t sit still.
Songs like Maldito Amoris a phenomenal experience for your ears. The delivery is smooth. It pulls away from the traditional Latin music and it delivers a sound that is very intense. Different! Very Different! The sound is pure and clean and, their voices are spot on! It’s one of those songs that stays with you forever.
This album is so Exciting! I thought about this album the other day and how I would write about it. These three amazing guys absolutely floored me. The beat is so intense and, they are spot on. I think they knocked it out of the box with Noche Sin Dia.With Latin music you don’t just sing it, you feel it, and if you don’t feel it, you don’t cut it. This album cuts it! Good move!
As if that wasn’t enough, they follow up with Musica! This is the album that proved that great can get greater. This album is representative of where these young men are now. It’s beautiful, it’s sensitive, it’s romantic. It’s about love. It’s about them being ready for love. It comes from deep within them. All the sweetness and humility of these guys is in this album. It moves your senses. What I am saying is they have evolved and, their voices have evolved. They’ve grown into their voices. Their voices are mature and have expanded in such an amazing way. There’s an intriguing balance in their voices. To experience this amazing evolution in voice and song you need go no further than “Be My Love.”Gianluca’svoice vibrates and expands to realms I’ve never heard before. Ignaziomakes your heart stop as you journey along his notes which lead to absolute ecstasy. Piero fills all your sense and brings you to such heights that you have to stop and breathe.
Reading, here and there on the various sites and fan pages, I found this beautiful article written by Susan De Bartoli. Several fan pages have recognized the goodness of this beautiful article by publishing it. Since maybe not all of you who follow Flight Crew may have read it, I thought I’d post it here too, and I asked Susan for her confirmation to do so. Here’s what she wrote.
Rejoice by reading: Daniela
Over the last few days, I’ve been thinking about how our lives have changed in just two weeks. It’s surreal! I try to distract myself but it’s difficult to get away from it all. So, I decided to focus on something else. I can usually get lost in my writing. You know before I started my business in 1990, I worked in the motion picture industry. I used to critique films. It was a good job but, I decided I wanted to do more with my life so, I quit my job and I spent two years writing. The best years of my life. So, where am I going with all of this?
Like most of you, right now, I spend a good deal of my day listening to those three amazing guys sing and I said maybe I should do a review of what’s been going on in their lives for the last 10 years. I think, over the last few days, I must have watched hundreds of video clips including interviews and some full concerts and now I’m ready to talk about our guys.
Let me start off by saying these three young men are extraordinary! They are remarkable, exceptional, persons. And, they have revolutionized the music industry. Let’s take a look at each one.
Gianluca is known as the Velvet Voice! I don’t who coined the phrase but, that is right on. Let’s use our senses to understand what that means. Take a piece of velvet and hold it in your hand. Now take your other hand and, gently pass your hand across the velvet. What do you feel? You feel a smooth even surface that is crisp with no breaks in it. The sensation is so good that you automatically go back and do it again. And every time it’s the same. It’s pleasing!
Now take Gianluca’s voice, let the notes pass into your ears, what do you hear? A crisp, smooth, even voice with no breaks in it. The note barely passes into your ear and you are going back for the next note. It’s always pleasing!
Gianluca is a lyrical baritone. He is exceptional because he can sing from the lowest to the highest note in the baritone range. Most baritones are limited in range. Gianluca’s voice is huge. He has a very rich chest resonance which creates a feeling of depth and drama in his voice.
A baritone voice is very romantic, very pleasing to listen to and is always inviting. Most songs are written for baritones. Gianluca starts, almost, every song. Why? In order for a song to be received well you must draw your audience into it. Gianluca’s voice draws you in in a romantic way and you hang on to every note. He can mesmerize you with songs like “Mi Mancherai” where he reaches into the depth of your being. His interpretation of “Surrender” is electrifying. But, when Gianluca sings, “She’s Always a Woman”, he takes your breath away. The highs, the lows, the emotion, the expression. His voice expands like nothing I ever heard before. He has total command of the song. You walk away with your senses lifted to another level.
Let’s talk about Ignazio, who I call the bridge. He is a lyrical tenor. He, like Gianluca, is exceptional because he can sing from the lowest to the highest note in the tenor range. And, God knows he can, easily, hit the high C. Waiting for it and knowing it’s going to happen is so exciting! He brings so much to the production and I’ll talk more about that later!
A lyrical tenor has a warm graceful voice which is bright and strong but not heavy and it can be heard over an orchestra. Ignazio’s voice is smooth, clean and clear, with an acute extension. His voice has the ability to increase the baritone voice of Gianluca while softening the spinto tenor voice of Piero. Ignazio has many faces. He is very whimsical in his songs as in “Libiamo ne’ lieti calici” from La Traviata.
In the aria “Una Furtiva Lagrima” from L’elisir D’amore, Ignazio makes you feel the innocents of Nemorino’s love for Adina. In his dedication to Pino Daniele you hear an interpretation that is emotional and a delivery that is so amazing that you get the sense that Daniele wrote his songs for Ignazio.
And finally, Piero. Piero is a spinto (meaning pushed) tenor. A spinto tenor has the brightness and height of a lyric tenor, but with a heavier vocal weight enabling the voice to be “pushed” to dramatic climaxes with less strain than his lighter-voice counterparts. His voice is warm, graceful, bright, and can be heard over an orchestra. Piero has a powerful voice that easily reaches the higher notes. Every note that comes out of his mouth reaches us with such intensity and remains with us for a long time. It’s the voice that reaches out to you and demands your attention. Think of him singing “E Lucevan le Stele” from Tosca. Or singing the beautiful Spanish aria “No Puede Ser” from A Tabernera del Puerto. From the first note Piero pierces your soul! His passion comes through in his music. Arias are very dramatic and, Piero brings all the drama of the aria into his performance. Always a showstopper!
Now let’s put the voices together. Gianluca starts most songs because he is a baritone and most songs are written for baritones. As I mentioned he draws you into the song. Gianluca will sing (in most cases) to Ignazio and Ignazio to Piero. This is how the three voices become one. Select one of their songs. Now close your eyes and listen to them sing. What can you say about this song? You can say, that is Gianluca or Ignazio or Piero singing. In the progression of the song you hear the voices blend to form a symphony for your ears. Their voices are very distinct.
Most groups sing and you hear just a song but with Il Volo you are surrounded by voices. And, the individuality of their voices entices you and it stays with you. “Musica che Resta”. (Music that Remains) Think of what Piero says when he introduces one of the solos, “After we were together a while, we realized we had three different voices.” He wasn’t saying that they suddenly found out they had different voices he was saying we are three voices and one song and, we need to show you those voices individually.
Let’s look at how they described one another when they first started out. I think Ignazio said Gianluca was the serious one, and Piero was the Intelligent one and Gianluca and Piero said Ignazio was the funny one. So, let’s take a look at that.
Gianluca, in most cases, is the spokesman for the group. I’m not sure if this is by chance or choice. He seems to always take the lead when they are in interviews. And, he is constantly monitoring the conversation. A good example is the video that was going around recently. It’s the one with the story about the shrimps. The boys were appearing on a Spanish show and Piero was telling the story about Gianluca and Ignazio’s food fight, when they were teenagers and he mistakenly used the Spanish word cama (bed) instead of the Spanish word cara (face) which turns the story from them throwing shrimps into one another’s face into throwing shrimps at each other in bed. Gianluca picked up on this and immediately corrected the mistake while Ignazio and Piero got hysterical laughing.
Piero is the intelligent one perhaps because he thinks everything through. In interviews he thinks before he speaks, and his answers are always intelligent. He’s very serious and you can tell he thought out the answer before he spoke. And I’m sure that’s what makes his performance so great!
And, Ignazio, the funny one. And that he is! But, is it really about the joke? Or is it more about the production. Let’s turn to the production.
The stage is simple. One sign that says it all – Il Volo. There’s the orchestra. Guitars, drum, piano, violins and whatever other instruments are needed for the performance. I want you to stop and think about the performance. We know these guys have three amazing voices but, what if they got on the stage and for two hours, they did nothing but sing. I don’t think it would work. A performance needs the ability to move on. There’s no change of scenery and no intermission so how do you move the performance along? Ignazio!!! The joking he brings into the performance provides the levity to relive the seriousness of the performance. He brings a certain ease and suspense to the performance. The audience is always wondering, what will he do next. But is it always about joking? I want you to think about what I’m saying. Ignazio is constantly moving around the stage. He’s dancing and keeping the rhythm. He’s swinging the microphone around and constantly nodding towards the orchestra, Gianluca and Piero. Is that the lead up to a joke? I don’t think so. Let me tell you what you are looking at. Ignazio is following every note that is sung or played on that stage. His mind is in motion. He is sensitive and passionate with the music. He has the ability to see the music as it is happening. He knows where every instrument should come in and out. That’s why you notice little things like him smiling, nodding, pointing towards the musicians, Gianluca or Piero. He also grabs the baton from the conductor, sometimes to joke but more often to conduct. Think about him conducting the Asti Symphony Orchestra while Marcello Rota sang his tenor part. He wasn’t joking, he was conducting. And, that’s why everyone was watching him in amazement. And when it was over, they were speechless. Look at Michele Torpedine go across the stage to embrace him. He is in awe of this young man. Ignazio is music! You call him funny I call him brilliant! I am going to make a prediction here! Remember you heard it here first. Ignazio will compose a great opera and will probably also write the libretto for it.
Let’s go to the beginning. When these three young men started out, they were 15 and 16 years old. Think of being 15 or 16 years old and you have a dream, and someone tells you that that dream, needs to be shared. To fulfill that dream you have to leave your family, your friends, your home, you have to go to another country and you have to share this journey with two people who you really know nothing about except that they had the same dream you did. You have to trust that the decision that was made by you and your family, was the right decision. If not, it’s back to square one! You’re going to be lonely and you have to learn to survive without the people you love. So, you learn to lean on one another. That dependence turns into a friendship and that friendship into a brotherhood. It enabled them to trust enough to collaborate and perfect something truly amazing. Something that revolutionized the music industry. Let me go further by showing you a collaboration by these three amazing, very, very talented, young men that is so unreal that it boggles your mind. This is a collaboration of love. Stop and listen to this performance of “Por Una Cabeza”.
Look at how they smile at one another during the performance. A smile that says yes that’s it! Their faces are ablaze! Their expressions let one another know that it works. And, finally, when it’s over, they are so excited they can hardly contain themselves. Look at their smiles, their faces are lit up in joy and their embrace says it all! They are brothers who love one another! So, in the beginning I said they were three voices and one song. I can now say they are three voices and one Love! We Are Love! ❤️❤️❤️
Susan De Bartoli
Susan, I really have to thank you for your nice words, you hit the mark in the description of Gianluca, Ignazio and Piero.
Thanks also for allowing the publication. We will be happy to have your other posts if you wish.
I was one of the very first writers to write columns for the Flight Crew and I always enjoyed doing it and I always was proud of the fact that many you would write comments and some would email me when they wanted to. The last time I wrote an article of any length was for the wonderful “Notte Magica” program – both the PBS presentation and the CD. Since then I was always waiting for a new album and/or a new PBS show. Well the Latin American songs were MP3 and digital download. I do CD’s (as old fashioned as that is) but I did listen to the songs they recorded in Miami with Emilio Estefan. I did not write an article then because I was told there would be a CD eventually. Well, so far ? ? ? I really ended up worried about the challenges that the boys were putting their voices through. The songs were each very similar to the next but I did like some of those songs. My problem was the stress and extreme tight throat they were developing in the recording process.
Now we skip ahead to right now. Good news. In the process of preparing for this new album they must have gone back to working with their vocal coaches (always the foundation to the incredible sound these guys produce). I sent an email to Barbara Vitali this afternoon and asked about vocal coaches and hope to get an answer soon. Bottom line is that each guy has progressed in spite of the extremes of some of those previous songs. The other factor is that I really do like the songs on this album. Good for them!
Gianluca: In some of these songs the approach to vowels starts out a little closed and tight in the throat. But as he warms up the throat gets more and more free and the size and sound of the vowels is bigger and more rich than ever. As I have said many times in other reviews, this is the finest baritone working the professional music world today and he sings Latin, Broadway, light rock, pop ballads, Italian romantic songs, opera and classical recital songs. He can do it all and do it all superbly!!
Piero: a little bit of the same problem that I think is left over from singing a whole different style of music. But, as with Gianluca, he loosens up and gets rid of the old (sometimes) tight sound and lets it fly free and big. This is an instrument that always was a big instrument and now is bigger.
Ignazio: Listen to him float and soar up and around those high notes. Greatest Lyric tenor working today. I have said that many times before also. There is a way that he and Gianluca can “caress” and “romance” a beautiful phrase of love until the listener falls to the ground in a rush of emotion.
Do you ever listen to these guys and find yourself getting chills up and down your back? Do you ever find yourself having a hard time breathing when they handle the word “subtle” in their singing. Too many young singers cannot sing soft without ending up with a dead sound and they cannot sing loud without screeching their brains out. When our boys sing soft it is with absolute control and beauty – the kind that does send chills out. And they do not just sing with a mindless LOUD. They produce a gorgeous large sound that fills the room without being harsh or formless. That kind of sound can make your heart skip a beat.
So here is where all that vocal work really pays off.
The songs on this CD are:
Musica Che Restaby Gianna Nannini & Emilio Munda & Antonello Carozza
I think all of the Il Volo fans know by now this song was featured for the 2019 Sanremo Festival. I was asked to address the controversy comparing “Musica Che Resta” to “Grande Amore” composed by Francesco Boccia. First of all they are two different songs composed by two different composers. The “fuss” is silly and a waste of time. These are two different songs and each has a special energy and works well for Il Volo. Having listened to “Grande Amore” many times and “Musica che resta” a good number of times I can see where some people would find similarity in the way the piano/softer opening sections layered over fast tempo rhythmic sections would have a “sameness” to them. But they don’t really. Another place where you might find similarity is in the form of the two songs.
This is one place where there is a resemblance but, once again, it is of no importance.
Vicinissimo – more to come later.
Arrivederci Romaby Renato Rascel & Pietro Garinei & Sandro Giovanni
A good number of the “crooners” of the late 40’s, 50’s and 60’s sang this at one time or another. It was used in the movie “Seven Hills of Rome” and it was a hit for Dean Martin and also Mario Lanza, Well you can see the attraction going from Dean to Gianluca and from Mario to Piero.
Gianluca starts out a little tight in the throat but gets more loose as he moves ahead. Piero starts the same – restricted throat but changes as he moves to the next phrase and he is showing off a much more open vowel sound concept. I am anxious to see him in person soon and what how he uses his jaw. Ignazio really makes this song very romantic in the way he works the musical phrase.
A chi mi dice (English=“those who tell me”) by Lars Halvor Jensen & Martin Larsson musicians of Danish background but now live in United Kingdom. This song was featured by their own band.
Fino a quando fa bene –
People (from musical “Funny Girl”) by Julie Styne & Bob Merrill. Funny Girl was a huge Broadway hit back in the mid-1960’s and made Barbara Streisand a star. Then Columbia Pictures made a truly great film of the musical and Streisand, once again, starred. At Oscar time, she ended up in the only tie ever in Best actress with Katharine Hepburn. All you loyal Il Volo fans should know that the boys have always loved her and, better yet, sang with her on her 2012 tour. Great experience for them. They learned a lot from her. This song is her theme song and it works very well for the guys. Each guy is doing his best work on this song. Makes sense since they are loyal to her. Rumor has it she may join them for the PBS program – hope so.
La nave del olvidoby Dino Ramos and Armando Manzanero
This song was a big hit for the famous Mexican singer Jose Jose. Remember IL VOLO singing for him at an awards program because he has lost his voice forever. They sang “El Triste” at that time.
Lontano dagli occhiby Sergio Endrigo and Sergio Bardotti
Be My Loveby Sammy Cahn & Nicholas Brodzsky
Those of us of a certain age (now wait a minute, I did not say the word “old” ) – anyway for those people of that age we all remember what a strong impression was made on us when Mario Lanza sang this song in the movies. Check out the video of “That’s Entertainment” from MGM which is a fantastic collection of many scenes from MGM musicals from the 1930’s to the 1960’s He is very much part of the late 40’s and the 50’s. He was way too young when he died.
Here is another song that I bet Piero loves. I would be interested in finding out in which order these songs were recorded. Certain songs show that the boys have a rather tight throat take a verse or so to get loosened up to a more free sound
When you read my reviews of the past years you will see that the control of their instruments (voice) was always one thing that amazed me for their age and their more pop interests. One note about Sammy Cahn. He is a composer that wrote a lot of Frank Sinatra’s best songs.
La voce del silenzioby Paolo Limiti and Elio Isola
This song was a hit in 1968 from different singers first in Italian and then in English under the title “ Silent Voices” sung by Dionne Warwick
Meravigliosa creatura by Gianna Nannini & Mara Redeghieri
A few more thoughts:
I have been reading that our boys have been getting negative comments for the style of music they do. They seem to get more support here in the USA than they do in Europe (although that is getting better). My thought is that we who stick by the boys no matter what kind of music they do because they are the best and because they show their love in every note – we must always make sure that loyalty gets to them and gets known by them.
I have a feeling that upcoming programs will be just wonderful.
Myron Heaton
LasVegas
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